Written Answers Thursday 31 May 2007

Scottish Executive

Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30969 by Ross Finnie on 19 January 2007, what progress has been made in respect of regulations on the transportation of puppies pursuant to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Richard Lochhead: The consultation on the draft regulations on the licensing of animal dealers has been completed and the responses are being considered. As a result of these responses it will be necessary to make a number of changes to the draft regulations before they are presented to Parliament. We anticipate that these regulations will be laid before Parliament in the autumn.

Care of Elderly People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that care home payments for elderly people will be the same in the voluntary and independent sector as in council care homes.

Shona Robison: The level of payment for an older person funded by a local authority in a care home in the independent or voluntary sector is agreed between the Scottish Government, local authorities and the independent sector.

  The cost of providing care in a local authority care home is a matter for each individual local authority. Section 22 of the National Assistance Act 1948 requires local authorities to set fees in their homes at the full cost of providing the care.

Care of Elderly People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give local authorities more resources to implement free personal and nursing care and, if so, how much will be given.

Shona Robison: We will establish an independent review to investigate the level and distribution of resources available to local authorities for free personal and nursing care. Future provision for the policy will be considered as part of the spending review.

Crofting

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in retaining a Crofters Commission bull scheme, in light of the European Commission raising the de minimis level of agricultural support to 6,000 Euros over a three-year period.

Michael Russell: We are currently considering future support for the improvement of crofters cattle in the light of the recent change to state aid guidelines. The European Commission proposal to increase the de-minimis limit on agricultural support from 1 January 2008, if accepted by member states, might prove useful. We aim to make an announcement about the future of this support by end August, in good time to allow crofters to plan for 2008.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional dentists would be required for the re-introduction of the school-based dental service.

Shona Robison: This will depend on the precise mode of implementation. We are currently actively considering the options for implementing this manifesto commitment.

Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 in each year since its enactment.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information on the number of persons proceeded against for dog fouling is given in the following table.

  Persons Proceeded against in Scottish Courts for Offences Under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 20031, 2002-03 to 2005-06

  

Year
Number


2004-05
8


2005-06
8



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a Scottish directory of detoxification and rehabilitation facilities for people addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Ms Shona Robison: The Scottish Government plans to introduce a national online directory of drug treatment and rehabilitation services in Scotland.

  Information on available alcohol treatment services is currently available from the website www.infoscotland.com/alcohol or from alcohol and drugs action teams.

Economic Development

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it will place on encouraging economic development in Scotland.

John Swinney: In his statement to parliament last week, the First Minister set out the future direction of economic policy in Scotland. He made clear that delivering faster and more sustainable growth is this government’s overarching priority.

  In particular, we have set ourselves an explicit objective to increase Scotland’s rate of growth to at least match UK growth during this parliamentary term. Equally important, we have set ourselves a further objective that all our citizens should benefit from this growth and that this growth should be environmentally sustainable.

  Economic success is the prerequisite of every other priority for this government, whether that is a world-class education system, a properly funded and respected national health service or getting people into employment as a means of fostering a sense of responsibility and social cohesion.

Economy

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for business and industry, including Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Mr Jim Mather: Our prime objective is to increase the rate of Scottish economic growth and to ensure that this is economically and environmentally sustainable. We will aim to bring it into line with that of other small European nations. We intend to use a range of measures to achieve that including lowering business rates, improving access to business finance, supporting innovation and lightening the regulatory burden for business. We also want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery of economic development activity and are currently looking at how Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise can contribute to that.

Economy

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for trade and inward investment.

Mr Jim Mather: Through our trade and investment arm, Scottish Development International, we will promote Scottish economic growth by:

  
increasing the participation of Scottish companies – especially those with strong growth potential in the industries1 designated as high priority by the enterprise networks – in international markets;
encouraging companies based outside Scotland, especially those in the priority industries, to do business in or with Scotland, and
encouraging talented individuals with skills needed by Scotland’s priority industries to pursue their careers here.


  Note 1: Scottish Enterprise has identified six industries that have the potential to grow faster than the Scottish average. These are financial services; electronic markets; energy; life sciences; tourism, and food and drink. Scottish Enterprise has also identified priority industries that have the potential to create disproportionate growth in specific regions of Scotland. These are textiles; aerospace; shipbuilding and marine; chemicals; construction, and forest industries. Highlands and Islands Enterprise has also identified six priority industries. These are tourism; food and primary products; health sciences; renewables; manufacturing and engineering, and creative industries.

Economy

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for community business and corporate development.

Mr Jim Mather: We are committed to following through on the strategy and action plan set out in Better business – a strategy and action plan for social enterprise in Scotland (Bib. number 42840) which highlights the important contribution a social enterprise business model can make to life in Scotland. This includes support towards corporate development of social enterprises.

Environment

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage reuse of consumer goods and whether it will promote schemes such as Freecycle in Edinburgh.

Michael Russell: We are committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and to moving towards a zero waste Scotland. This includes the promotion of re-use. We intend to work with the community recycling sector and others to consider, by the end of this year, what more we can do to encourage re-use.

  A number of bodies in the private sector, the community recycling sector and charity shops are already encouraging the re-use of goods such as furniture, bicycles, carpets, children’s toys and other goods.

  Information on Freecycle and other similar websites is included in the useful links section of the Scottish Waste Awareness Group’s website:

  http://www.wascot.org.uk/html/links.asp?cat=8&catTitle=Reuse.

Environment Protection Act 1990

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders have been prosecuted under the Litter Act 1958 in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Kenny MacAskill: The Litter Act 1958 was repealed by the Litter Act 1983. Prosecutions for littering offences are generally under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The available information for persons proceeded against for littering offences under the 1990 act is given in the table.

  Persons Proceeded against in Scottish Courts for Littering Offences Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, 2003-04 to 2005-06.

  

Year
Number


2003-04
28


2004-05
43


2005-06
32



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

European Funding

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for European Structural Funds.

Mr Jim Mather: : For 2007-13, European Structural Funds will contribute to achieving the key priorities of the new administration. In particular, our priorities for a wealthier and fairer Scotland and a smarter Scotland can be enhanced by productive use of European funding within the framework set by the Lisbon Agenda. The specific aims and objectives of the new programmes are set out in the individual documents, available through the Executive’s Structural Funds website ( www.scotland.gov.uk/structuralfunds ). In addition, we will take full advantage of the new opportunities available under the Territorial Cooperation Objective to develop links and work jointly with our Irish, Nordic and other partners. The Executive will also ensure appropriate systems are in place to ensure the efficient delivery of projects consistent with, and contributing to, programme goals in line with EU audit requirements and to relieve further the burden of applying and managing projects to stakeholders.

  It is equally important that we close the 2000-06 programmes successfully, on time and without audit qualification.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS services currently proposed for closure will be retained.

Nicola Sturgeon: I have made clear that we will reverse the previous decisions on accident and emergency services at Monklands and Ayr hospitals. In considering proposals for significant service change that come to me for a final decision in the future, I will consider each case on its merits but will operate a presumption against centralisation of services. This does not mean that there will be no changes to health services in the future but that any NHS board that submits proposals for service reconfiguration must persuade me that their case is robust, that all possible alternatives have been considered, and that due weight has been given to both patient need and public opinion.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measure will be taken if a patient refuses to participate in any exercise-on-prescription scheme.

Stewart Maxwell: Exercise-on-prescription is one way to encourage patients to increase their level of activity by attending leisure centres or gyms for supervised exercise programmes. Decisions about the most appropriate treatment or care are taken jointly by the patient and the relevant health care professional. So, if a patient does not wish to participate in an exercise programme this can be addressed as part of these informed discussions. A national working group has been set up by the Scottish Executive to develop guidance on the promotion of physical activity in primary care, including exercise-on-prescription.

Homelessness

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date it estimates that homeless people will no longer be accommodated in bed and breakfast accommodation (B&Bs).

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Executive does not have an estimated date for this. Homelessness legislation introduced standards which temporary accommodation for households with children and pregnant women must meet and prohibits routine use of B&Bs and other unsuitable accommodation for these households.

Homelessness

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants from the 12 most recent EU accession states are currently homeless.

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested is not held centrally at this time. Changes to the homelessness statistics data collection system, introduced from April 2007, allow councils to identify applicants from the most recent EU accession states. The first annual statistics on such applicants, for the year 2007-08, will be published during 2008.

Housing

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ask the Auditor General for Scotland or the Accounts Commission for Scotland to investigate Glasgow Housing Association’s Home Improvement Scheme.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Glasgow Housing Association is currently the subject of an inspection by Communities Scotland. This inspection will look at, among other things, GHA’s approach to asset management including the way in which its investment programme is currently operating. We have no plans at this stage to ask the Auditor General for Scotland or the Accounts Commission for Scotland to investigate GHA’s Home Improvement Scheme. We will, however, want to reflect fully on the findings of the inspection report once complete.

NHS 24

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the delivery of NHS 24 through more local mini-centres would lead to improved response times and patient care.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently five local NHS 24 centres which were developed in partnership with local NHS boards in Highland, Ayrshire and Arran, Lanarkshire, Tayside and Dumfries and Galloway and which have been in operation since November 2005. The centres are co-located with local NHS board facilities and in the case of the Highland local centre, within Scottish Ambulance Service premises. The local centres operate at peak times during the out-of-hours period when call demand is at its highest, during the evening, weekends and public holidays when GP surgeries are closed.

  As part of NHS 24’s three year strategy (2006-09), work is underway to develop further local centres throughout Scotland in partnership with other local NHS boards.

  The introduction of local NHS 24 centres has increased the capacity for nurse recruitment to be carried out in new areas. This has been done in partnership with the area NHS boards, increasing the number of nurses available to the whole service; improving local knowledge and understanding of both services and geography and therefore enhancing patient care. It has also supported the principle of increasing choice, flexibility and opportunity for highly experienced nurses who may wish to retain two posts in the NHS – one with NHS 24 and one in a local face-to-face setting - to increase and maintain their skills.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the BBC on 20 May 2007, what weight will be given to patient need and public opinion when considering NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s plan to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the BBC on 20 May 2007, how the plan to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital will be independently scrutinised.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to the BBC on 20 May 2007, who will be on the independent scrutiny panel to consider NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s plans to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to keep healthcare local, following NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s plans to downgrade the Vale of Leven Hospital and transfer services to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any members of the community engagement panel involved in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s review of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital who are satisfied with the process or the outcome of that review.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a report from the Scottish Health Council on the community engagement process undertaken by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the review of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is imperative that NHS boards engage with patients and the public, and that their views are fully taken into account, as proposals for service change are developed. I have made clear that I will introduce a process of independent scrutiny of boards’ proposals before these are issued for public consultation. I am currently considering how this will be undertaken and will make an announcement soon. I can confirm, however, that any proposals for significant service change at the Vale of Leven Hospital will be subject to independent scrutiny.

  I have responsibility for making final decisions on any proposals for significant service change. I have made clear that in considering future proposals I will operate a presumption against centralisation of services. This does not mean that there will be no changes to health services in the future. However, any NHS board that submits proposals for service reconfiguration must persuade me that their case is robust, that all possible alternatives have been considered, and that due weight has been given to both patient need and public opinion.

  In coming to a conclusion on any proposals for change from NHS boards that are put before me, I will give full consideration to the representations made to me and to the report from the Scottish Health Council on boards’ engagement and public consultation exercises.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what different models for anaesthetics provision have been considered to sustain services at (a) urban, (b) rural and (c) semi-rural hospitals.

Nicola Sturgeon: Individual NHS boards are responsible for designing safe and sustainable services that meet the needs of their local population. In doing so, NHS boards reflect policy guidance provided by the Scottish Executive and relevant clinical guidelines and professional requirements.

NHS Hospitals

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will incentivise hospitals to do more.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are considering how best to take forward this issue and will consult fully on our proposals in due course.

NHS Prescriptions

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which chronic conditions entitle patients to free prescriptions.

Shona Robison: The chronic conditions that entitle patients to free NHS prescriptions are:

  
Hypoparathyroidism.
Hypoadrenalism (for which specific substitution therapy is essential).
Diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism.
Diabetes Mellitus (except where treatment is by diet alone).
Myasthenia Gravis.
Myxoedema (that is, Hypothyroidism requiring thyroid hormone replacement).
Epilepsy (requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy).
A permanent Fistula requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance (also referred to as a stoma).
A continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving a residence without the help of another person.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to increase the numbers of NHS physiotherapists and other allied health professionals.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am committed to maximising the potential of Allied Health Professionals to reduce waiting times. In particular, I am exploring ways of ensuring that we make the most of the available pool of physiotherapists. As part of this approach, we are working in partnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, NHS Education Scotland, and NHS boards to develop a national action plan.

NHS Waiting Times

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether every patient will be given a legally binding waiting time guarantee to see a (a) psychologist and (b) psychiatrist.

Nicola Sturgeon: We will be consulting on our proposals.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce a no-fault system of compensation to replace the current NHS clinical negligence scheme and, if so, at what estimated cost.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive does intend to introduce a no-fault system for compensation to help foster a more open and respectful relationship between patients and clinical staff and we will consult fully on our proposals in due course. However, it is too early to say what the estimated cost of this new system will be to the NHS in Scotland.

Regeneration

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote and regenerate traditional town centres, such as Bathgate and Linlithgow, in the Linlithgow parliamentary constituency.

Stewart Maxwell: One of our central priorities is to support Scotland’s economic growth. We have already made clear that one of the ways in which we will do so is by removing or reducing the burden of business rates for small businesses, many of which are located in traditional town centres across Scotland. We will announce further measures in due course.

Regeneration

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the regeneration of town centres.

Stewart Maxwell: One of our central priorities is to support Scotland’s economic growth. We have already made clear that one of the ways in which we will do so is by removing or reducing the burden of business rates for small businesses, many of which are located in traditional town centres across Scotland. We will announce further measures in due course.

Regeneration

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of investment it will commit towards the regeneration of Ardrossan.

Mr Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Executive has been working with Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company (URC) and local partners, including North Ayrshire Council, Communities Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, to assist in the development of comprehensive regeneration proposals for the Irvine Bay area of North Ayrshire, which covers the town of Ardrossan. Irvine Bay URC will be submitting a finalised business plan to the Executive in June 2007 for consideration. Decisions on any future investment by the Executive will be taken in that context.

Regeneration

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps it will take to regenerate the centres of small towns.

Stewart Maxwell: One of our central priorities is to support Scotland’s economic growth. We have already made clear that one of the ways in which we will do so is by removing or reducing the burden of business rates for small businesses, many of which are located in traditional town centres across Scotland. We will announce further measures in due course.

Schools

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to take forward the commitment to protect rural schools from closure and what action it will take to assist those schools at immediate risk.

Fiona Hyslop: We have made clear our commitment to introduce a presumption against the closure of rural schools and shall be considering further the detailed implications of taking that forward. We shall also take this into account in our consideration of decisions on any rural school closure proposals which may require ministerial consent.

Smoking

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government about of raising the classification to 18 of any film which shows people smoking and has an under-18 viewing certificate.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Executive recognises that images of smokers featured in films, TV and magazines may influence young people to smoke. In developing our longer term national smoking prevention strategy, therefore, we will work with the UK Government and other devolved governments to explore ways to reduce positive and increase negative images of smoking in the media. It does not seem unreasonable for issues relating to film classification to form part of these considerations.

Transport

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for transport.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executive’s priorities for transport are:

  
full utilisation of our transport infrastructure and our investment in it;
delivering the right infrastructure for business success, and
a focus on the needs of Scottish commuters, working to make journeys greener, safer and easier.


  As a first step, we have already announced that we will remove tolls from the Forth and Tay Bridges.

Tourism

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for tourism.

Mr Jim Mather: The Executive’s key objective for Scottish tourism is to support sustainable growth of the contribution that tourism makes to economic growth right across Scotland, thus achieving the widely shared ambition to grow tourism revenues by 50% over the decade to 2015. This sustainable growth will be achieved by tourism businesses delivering continuous improvement to the excellent and varied products and services which they already offer, and marketing them effectively to their guests. The Year of Homecoming in 2009 will also play an important part in stimulating growth, as will major events such as the Ryder Cup in 2014.

  We want to support tourism businesses which share that ambition to grow tourism revenues. They will be supported by VisitScotland and the enterprise agencies working very closely together to attract more visitors to come to Scotland through world class marketing and innovative product development, and to encourage them to come back by ensuring that they are delighted by the warmth of the welcome they receive. That is why tourism has been incorporated into my Energy, Enterprise and Tourism portfolio, demonstrating our recognition that tourism is a major growth area in Scotland’s economy.